The Essentials
Don’t you adore beading as a hobby or art form?
Supplies are not space hogs, like flower arranging or quilting … no expensive equipment is required … and I know that many beaders (even award-winners! shhh…) work at a plain old table!
Bead projects can be travel buddies too!
Take your travel tips from international bead artists: keep your beaded components small, as per Floor Kaspers, whose mega pieces all begin with many small sections. and keep your colours to a minimum, as per Suzanne Golden, who favours basic primary colours.
As with any handi-art, essential gizmos will sure make your beading easier. Here are a few.
Beading Board or Mat – If you string with larger beads, a bead board will help you arrange/rearrange and keep beads in line. And if you’re a seed beader, a bead mat will keep those wee beadlets corralled. N.B. if you have a cat, nothing is guaranteed!
Needles – Modern seed bead holes are more generous than their predecessors, but a quality bead needle is still important. Good needles last longer as they bend less and break less often. Check out our selection and if you need help choosing, I’m available by email!
Magnetized Needle Holder – Having stepped on a lost needle, and even having pulled one out of my pant leg (I’ve no explanation for why I wasn’t stabbed!), I cannot recommend this tool more strongly!
Stringing and Thread – Oodles of choices, whether you use thread, leather, suede, prefer kumihimo, wire work, chain work, or bead embroidery – we have 24 web pages of stringing products, including tons of sizes of flex-rite jewellery wire. So. Many. Different strands and diameters and an inspiring array of finishes – metallic and coloured.
Glue, Resin and Patinas – What project doesn’t require a dab of a good, strong, ultra-reliable glue? You’ll find only the very best here.
Scoop – Seriously, the way it scoops up beads from carpets, and helps you separate colours on your bead mat, a scoop is a beader’s miracle tool! And, for those of you with cats or kidlets, a bead scoop may save you from cursing or demonstrating other behaviour you may not be proud of!
When you need pliers, hammers, or cutters, check out our supply here.
Beady friends, spring is in the air, well, it is in BC and will be before you know it, wherever you are! Check out this exquisite patina toggle – it feels like spring flowers!
Lastly, you might be interested to know that The Beading Room has replenished our Czech Seed Bead range and added bulk bags of many colors. Browse our seed bead colour stash.
See you in March when we’ll feature another amazing beader. And hey! if you have a favourite beader you’d love to learn more about, let me know.
Your beadiful buddy, Cathy
(Originally published February 26, 2022)